


Off My Chest

by raincoloredpetals



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Alain wants to comfort him, Ash is Upset, Charizarditeshipping, Confessions, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Protective Pokemon, megabondshipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-03-07
Packaged: 2018-09-27 10:33:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10011749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raincoloredpetals/pseuds/raincoloredpetals
Summary: After saving the city from Team Flare, Ash finally gets to sit down and mull over his loss to Alain at the Kalos League. But could he share those thoughts with the new champion himself? He didn’t know if he could stop himself from breaking down.





	1. Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> Megabondshipping is my guilty pleasure ship! I love it and wish there was just more fics and arts celebrating it. I like that Alain and Ash’s relationship isn’t about animosity like with Gary or Paul. Alain is a breath of fresh air. I am pissed that he won though…recant his trophy for connections to Team Flare! Or hell, rematch now that he doesn’t have the Mega Stone since it was Lysandre’s.

Ash and his friends were staying at Professor Sycamore's so that all of them could recuperate, both humans and Pokémon. Clemont was hard at work rebuilding his Clem-bot and Serena took Bonnie shopping to get her mind off Squishy. Ash was finally able to enjoy time on his own so he could think things over.

It seemed like the Kalos League was brushed aside once Lysandre began his attack on the city. His Pokémon, barely rested, were thrown back into battle to stop that monster from destroying everything in his path. But now that everything was back to normal, Ash could only think about his failure during the League.

His Pokémon had all done their best against Alain and his team. But once again, his Mega-Evolved Charizard bested Greninja. His dear friend had apologized, but Ash should've been the one apologizing to him. Greninja fed off the emotions and strength of Ash in that form. And that meant Ash failed them both.

Alain was of course, perfect. His Pokémon were strong and his Charizard was in great shape. After everything that happened, Ash found himself unable to look Alain in the eye. Every time Ash looked at him, he didn't like the ugly feeling growing in his chest. It wasn't hate, he didn't hate Alain. He was a great Trainer and an even nicer guy. He could say that freely. But was it jealousy? It was too similar to how he felt towards Gary. And because he felt so negative around Alain, he decided to ignore him. It was easy, sorta. Mairin kept him distracted and random people would come up to get his autograph so Ash didn't have to talk to him. Even at breakfast this morning, he didn't focus on Alain and let Professor Sycamore keep his attention, but he wasn't listening much then either.

Ash decided to come out of his room to go outside where the Pokémon were. He left his hat in his room to let the breeze comb through his hair. He needed the fresh air and couldn't be cooped up in his room forever. Like that time when he lost against Wulfric and needed a moment to himself. He needed to isolate himself for a bit, otherwise he would get upset like he did with Serena. He didn't want a repeat. Eager Pokémon ran his way to play with him, Ash laughing as they begged him for food and scratches. Well-equipped, he handed off handfuls of their food so they would give him space to breathe.

It felt nice to be outside with Pokémon again. It took him away from his personal pity party so he could focus on what mattered. The Pokémon.

A familiar roar took him away from his thoughts, eyes following the sound. And there he saw a Charizard without the familiar Mega Stone around its neck. Its Trainer was calmly feeding it with a small smile on his face. Ash froze. It was Alain and no one was there to distract him. He still couldn't face him with how he was feeling. Alain didn't cheat to become champion for him to feel this bitter.

He turned to walk away, but the excited Pokémon around him weren't giving him the space to do so. In fact, they were getting really vocal when he moved, thinking he wanted to play with them. The commotion caught Alain's attention, the taller boy curiously looking over and beaming when he saw Ash.

"Ash!" he called. The younger one sighed internally. He didn't want to feel this way. Alain was nice. And Ash really liked him because he was a solid Trainer, more so than Gary even. He tried to smile.

"Hey, Alain!" he greeted, waving as Alain and his Charizard came closer. For a second, he saw Alain frown, but it was quickly replaced by a smile.

"It's good to see you walking around after everything that's happened." Ash laughed nervously, scratching his cheek.

"Yeah, I was gonna go see if…Professor Sycamore needed my help with something. Like…helping Garchomp." His excuse was flimsy, but it wasn't unreasonable. Alain narrowed his eyes.

"Ash, Professor Sycamore isn't here. He went to the Pokémon Center because we were running out of medicine here and needed to talk to Nurse Joy. He said that at breakfast, remember?" Ash's eyes widened. Oh, had he? Great…

Alain's hand rested at his hip, eyeing him cautiously. He had been making an effort to talk to Ash more because he wanted to make sure he was okay, but the latter would take off or otherwise to avoid talking to him. Even at breakfast this morning, Ash didn't look him in the eye. Maybe he hated him for being on Lysandre's side, but that wasn't it. Ash had forgiven him with such earnest. More than his friends who would eye him suspiciously for a time before they believed him. This wasn't about Lysandre or Team Flare. But it was about him. Had he said or done anything to offend him?

"You've been distant. Not just quiet. But reclusive. It's not to everyone though. You're doing it to me." Ash visibly withered. Alain was always blunt with him, but had he always been this perceptive? He had to be, he was a good Trainer because of it. Ash sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"It's not...it's not something you should worry about. I'm getting over it." Alain's sharp blue eyes narrowed.

"So it _is_ about me." Ash's heart skipped, looking up at him in alarm. He didn't want to talk about this. At least not with him.

"Alain-" The paler boy reached out and took his arm. His eyes were much gentler now.

"Talk to me about it. If it's about me, I'll listen. And you'll feel better once it comes out." Ash was shaking his head fiercely. He would look terrible, like a child throwing a tantrum because he didn't get his way.

"No, Alain. I'm not going to say it to you. You don't deserve it. I don't deserve to feel this way." It was…jealousy, perhaps? Alain couldn't think of much else.

"Ash." He followed his eyes so he was in front of the tanned Trainer. "I promise I can handle it. I just want you to be honest. Get it off your chest."

Inside, Ash was having a turmoil. He liked Alain and the Trainer didn't deserve to hear the qualms from a loser. Heh, a loser. He hadn't done anything official to show he was anything but.

"I...I hate that you won." It was said so softly that Alain had to strain to hear it. "I hate myself for not preparing my team better. They don't blame me for losing. But I do."

He sighed, feeling the weight get a little lighter. Alain didn't say anything, taking in what Ash was telling him.

"I worked so hard for this. But it's been torn away from me. Just when I thought that maybe, maybe, I wouldn't be the loser from Kanto. But no, I lose. Again. And again. All the same results with different Pokémon. It's not fair to them. And I did it. And I hate that you were the one who took it from me." This first time, his inexperience with Charizard costed him the match. In Johto, it was against Harrison. Hoenn, Tyson. Sinnoh, a Darkrai and Latios. Unova, a newly evolved Lucario. This time, it was against Alain and he was in the finals. It hurt that he was just so close. So close to that trophy. He wasn't going to cry. He was over crying about the losses. But they still hurt. His fists clenched and shook at his sides. He was fighting hard to keep himself from lashing out.

"Just once. Once. I just wanted to win. I wanted to see my Pokémon win. I wanted to be the reason why they're so proud. But I'm not. Now they're sitting in the lab because I failed them." Alain wanted to protest. Ash's Pokémon were as good-hearted as their beloved Trainer's. It probably never crossed their minds to blame Ash, though he was sure all of it was directed to him. Ash's frustrations he can take on in a heartbeat. But six furious Pokémon? He...he'd take it on. For Ash. Because Ash made him feel fulfilled. He wanted him to keep smiling because of it. Whenever he saw him, he got excited and it wasn't just because of the battle, because he loved feeling alive afterwards. It took him some time to realize that maybe what he felt for Ash was deeper than their rivalry.

* * *

Greninja and Pikachu were both healed and roaming the gardens, enjoying the relaxation and the breeze. But the blue frog noticed its Trainer and the teen who won against them talking. It felt somewhat bitter that Alain didn't stand up for Ash faster before he started getting hurt, but Ash was okay now. It still didn't like him for winning the Kalos League though. Greninja was ashamed for letting Ash down. Like that time against Wulfric. Pikachu tilted his head at his friend.

"Pika?" he asked, louder than Greninja would've liked. It quickly put a finger to its lips and grabbed him, hiding into a tree close to the humans. Pikachu stayed quiet out of respect, but curiously stared at Ash and Alain.

* * *

Alain reached for one of Ash's fist, closing a firm hand over it.

"Ash, you're allowed to feel frustrated. But you are more of a Trainer than you realize. Your Pokémon do more than respect you as a master. You have a bond of friendship that can make even the best Trainers jealous. Anyone can see the amount of love between you and your Pokémon. Your quest is to be a Pokémon Master, isn't it? How you recover from a loss is more important than the loss itself. And I'm sorry that I was the reason why you feel this way. I didn't want you to feel worthless. I wanted you to feel how you get my spirits up in battle." He bit his bottom lip, then straightened up. He was happy that Ash told him how he felt, but didn't like what it was implying.

"I understand if you resent me. I…I don't want you to hate me for it." Ash hating him after making him feel alive was a rollercoaster he wanted off of. To his relief, Ash looked surprised.

"'Hate' you? N-no, I wouldn't. I hate the feeling, but I don't hate you. I like you, Alain." He said it with the same earnest when he forgave him, his rich brown eyes soft. Alain's heart lifted. His cheeks pinked up and he had to look away so Ash couldn't see.

"'L-like' me?" A blush rose in his tan cheeks. Ash choked a gasp, quickly backpedaling so he wouldn't get the wrong idea.

"A-as a friend! You're a great friend. And I'm happy to call you a rival." He meant that. Alain laughed a little.

"Of course. And I'm happy you're mine. Rival, I mean," he added quickly before he would turn red with embarrassment. Ash smiled, genuine and carefree. His chest didn't feel heavy anymore.

"Maybe...we could have another battle again? After we relax for a few more days, of course. I don't think battling is what my Pokémon want right now." Greninja wanted it if Alain dared to get closer to Ash. There was a personal bubble and Alain was invading it. The taller male nodded. Ash may have lost in their battles, but Alain felt he had more to learn from him rather than the other way around.

"I agree to all of that. It would be a pleasure." He smiled softly at Ash, who suddenly felt conscious of the closeness between them. He took a small step back, beaming.

"Anyway, I'm gonna go see how my Pokémon are doing and talk to my professor from back home. I'll see you around lunch time!" Alain nodded.

"Sounds good." Ash took off, heading to check on the others, but paused and looked back.

"Oh, and Alain?" He was still watching him, perking up.

"Yeah?" He grinned and put his thumb up.

"Thanks for listening." Alain smiled softly.

"I'm always here if you need me," he whispered it, watching Ash seem confused, but smile again and run off. Charizard marched up to Alain, nudging him sharply and looking peeved. Alain chuckled.

"I'll...I'll confess to him another day." Charizard made an accusatory face. It was Alain's perfect chance to confess and he wasted it. Alain shook his head. He stared out into the pond calmly.

"It was a good day, Charizard. I feel like he can open up to me more. And it's brought us closer. I...I'm happy." Charizard roared happily.

Greninja and Pikachu were still high up in the tree, observing them below. While the yellow mouse questioningly stared over at Alain and his odd confession, the blue frog wasn't pleased. Alain was nice and it didn't blame him for the loss, but the urge to protect its Trainer outweighed the cordiality it felt for him. Alain was a capable Trainer, but still.

The next day, Ash and his friends were happily chatting at the PC while Ash was talking to someone on the other line. Alain was hanging around nearby, observing and smiling when he saw how happy Ash was now. Ash's Pokémon were released from their balls, all playing around except for Greninja. The frog was glaring at him, but Alain was paying him no mind.

Ash hung up the phone and held up a ball to his friends. The Pokémon noticed and crowded around him. Ash had a proud grin on his face. As he led them outside.

"Now that Goodra's heading back home, I decided I'd bring over a friend to say hello! It's pretty excited to meet you guys. Everyone, meet Charizard!" Ash tossed the ball in the air, light shining to reveal a vibrant Charizard. It greeted with a roar that shook the lab. Even Alain's Charizard perked up at the strong presence.

Ash was animatedly talking about his Charizard, boasting how proud he was while the Pokémon greeted its new family members. Charizard got too excited and accidentally used Flamethrower on him, but Ash wasn't too fazed and was laughing while Serena panicked and cleaned his face.

Greninja looked into Charizard's eyes and immediately saw the fondness, strength and pride on its face. An ally. It held out a fist and Charizard's eyes sharpened. He roared and pounded it with his own. Now Greninja had to tell him about the rival who could steal their Trainer from them.

Alain smiled as he saw the Charizard. It looked pretty strong and proud, like the Trainer who raised it. He gazed over at Ash, smile growing bigger. While Ash was here, Alain planned to have his feelings known. He felt that his feelings for Ash were validated. It was more than just admiration he felt. Greninja looked over at Alain, then Charizard followed its eyes. Seeing the Trainer look at its own had Charizard narrowing its eyes. Alain's Charizard flexed protectively. While the Pokémon were having an intense staredown, the humans were blissfully unaware of the new rivalry forming.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I lied, there is still some angst-y stuff in here. I'm so sorry! But just a little!

It was the day after Charizard was introduced to the group and everyone could sense there was something stewing between it and Alain's Charizard. Maybe there was a growing battle ready to go on between the two, but Ash and Alain weren't too focused on taking each other on any time soon. As the Pokémon hung out in the lab, Ash and Alain were feeding them to help Professor Sycamore out. He was preoccupied with building the lab back from Lysandre's attack and could use the extra help.

Ash hummed a little as he fed a Psyduck, not noticing Alain's nervous stare behind him. He had asked Mairin for advice to ask out Ash, to which she responded by laughing in his face and calling him hopeless.

"Just go for it!" was her grand advice. Fine, he was going for it, but man he was going to let her have it if he freaks out and rejects him.

"Hey, Ash?" he called out, making sure his voice didn't show how nervous he was. The tanned boy turned to him and grinned.

"What's up?" he asked brightly, petting a Froakie. He was in such a good mood now that it gave Alain confidence.

"After we're done feeding everyone, would you like to walk with me around the city?" he asked politely. Ash grew excited.

"Yeah! That sounds like fun!" He tossed some more food out, thinking of places they could go to. Alain smiled good-naturedly, secretly thanking Mairin for her advice. In a high tree, Greninja narrowed its eyes and swooped over to where Charizard and Pikachu were. They shared some words, nodding to agree that they would follow them. Pikachu was the only one trying to shoot down the idea.

"Pika pika!" he shouted, trying to break up their thoughts. To his disdain, Charizard merely patted him on the head. He sighed. He had to go with them to make sure no one got hurt.

In a secluded corner, Alain's Charizard heard of their plans to break the two humans apart and it glared at them. Threatening its Trainer was unforgivable.

* * *

Ash and Alain started their walk, the streets busy again as if Lysandre's attack was a thing of the past. People looked happy now that the damage had been cleaned up and dealt with. The shopping areas were packed as usual and Ash caught a glimpse of Serena, Bonnie and Mairin hanging out at a trinket shop. They waved at them and Mairin gave Alain an excited thumbs up, mouthing 'good luck!' to him before he hurriedly walked away from the shop to avoid her laughing at him. It was pretty lively and many shops were celebrating the city being rebuilt.

"Excuse me, boys!" greeted a shop keeper as they walked by. They turned and saw an old woman smiling broadly from the doorway of her shop. "Do you two like ice cream?"

"Love it!" shouted Ash before Alain could, eyes sparkling. He had to smile at his enthusiasm. She grinned.

"Good! It's half off for couples today!" Ash cheered, quickly agreeing to buy some while Alain was thunderstruck. He agreed even though she said couples. Did that mean…?

He was silent as they took a seat at a bench with his vanilla ice cream in hand. Ash didn't pay any mind now that he had a double scoop chocolate ice cream bowl. He immediately dug into his ice cream while Alain picked at his. Yesterday, Ash was embarrassed at the thought of liking him, now he was acting as if it were completely normal. Or maybe he was too caught up in the idea of cheaper ice cream that he didn't pay attention. It had to be the latter.

But this was his chance now. He was going to tell him his feelings and if he gets rejected, at least he had the guts to try.

"Hey, Ash. There's something I wanted to tell you." The tanned Trainer turned to him, spoon in mouth as he tilted his head.

"Yeah?" He looked pretty cute, Alain thought with a furious blush. He took a breath, nodding when he was confident.

"I want to thank you for everything that you've done for me. Because of you, I've realized there's so much more to battling than strategies and a means to an end. I meant it when I said you lift my spirits. I thought it was just us battling that got me excited, but now I know it's because-" A strong gust of wind yanked his ice cream bowl out of his hand and into his jacket, causing him to cry out in surprise. Ash's flew off and into the street, much to his horror. The gust suddenly stopped and it was as if nothing had disturbed them.

"What was that?" asked Ash, dusting himself off and secretly crying about his fallen ice cream.

"I don't know, probably a rogue Vivillon," Alain answered curtly, looking forlornly at his now dirty jacket. He was peeved for being interrupted, now he looked stupid in front of Ash. Ash shook his head.

"I dunno, that's pretty strong for a Vivillon. More like a-" He turned to make a joke, but gasped when he saw the damage.

"Man, that gust really messed with you! We should head back so we can clean you up." Alain frowned, taking off his jacket to fold and tuck under his arm. He wanted to spend more time outside with Ash. And he had to make his feelings clear. He needed to think of a better time to do it now.

"Maybe I can change and we can head back out? I didn't want our walk to be over so soon." Ash nodded energetically.

"That's fine with me! I didn't want to go back so soon either." Alain smiled softly as he followed him back to the lab.

* * *

Charizard growled when it saw Alain get too close to Ash, Greninja agreeing on the sentiment. His confession was about to be revealed and it reacted on instinct. Giving its wings a powerful bat, it sent a gust flurrying towards them. Just enough to shock them and disturb the confession. Ice cream on Alain was an added bonus. Tempted for another gust, it raised its wings for round two.

An orange blur tackled it before it had the chance, protecting its Trainer. An angry snarl sounded from the intruder before the two furious Charizards were wrestling on the floor in a heap of fiery tempers and sharp teeth. Greninja was gearing up for a Water Shuriken to throw, waiting for the opportune moment. Both Charizards' mouths were bright red and orange, fire threatening to erupt in each other's faces.

"PIKA!"

"HAWLUCHA!" Hawlucha, with Pikachu on his back, soared in with a Flying Press and smashed into the brawling Charizards. Pikachu jumped onto Greninja and pulled its arm, throwing off its Water Shuriken until it dissipated. Hawlucha stood between the Charizards, stopping their fight with a firm glare. They growled at each other, baring teeth. But when they heard that the two Trainers were leaving, they quickly ended the fight to follow them home. Greninja took off by using the trees to jump back to the lab. Pikachu and Hawlucha flew back in a hurry to make sure they weren't going to fight again.

* * *

Ash and Alain were back to the lab and the latter immediately went into his room to grab another jacket. After getting rid of the ice cream stained one, he was annoyed to find that his blue shirt underneath was stained too. Great. He angrily tossed his shirt into the hamper with the jacket.

What other clothes did he have? He opened his closet and found the only outfit inside. Oh no, that yellow button up and orange jacket. Working at the lab in them was fine, but Ash might think he looked like a nerd with these clothes on. The white coat with it had to go because even though it hid the bright orange, it screamed lab nerd and-oh Christ this was awful. Garchomp came into his room when she heard that they came back, growling her approval at the old outfit he once wore. He smiled a little.

"You're saying I'd still look handsome? Thanks, Garchomp." He gave her a scratch on the head before turning to put them on.

Ash was outside with his Pokémon. Greninja and Charizard were acting as if they never left the lab while Hawlucha was panting from the speed he had to fly at in order to make it. Pikachu was fanning him with some leaves with Talonflame and Noivern using their wings. Alain's Charizard greeted Ash politely, glaring at the other two Pokémon when Ash wasn't looking. Their fight wasn't over yet. It didn't matter if it was two against one and no Mega Stone. It'd win with power.

Ash sighed at Hawlucha. "What did you get yourself into?" He suddenly smiled and gave him a reassuring pat.

"Training even after the Kalos League is over? I love your dedication, Hawlucha!" Oh totally, he was training. He quickly agreed and raised his fist, then went back to resting.

Alain came out with Garchomp, adjusting his clothes. Ash looked over and had to hide his surprise. Alain looked younger in those clothes. Or maybe his usual outfit made him look older. They didn't look bad, he just didn't expect Alain to wear orange. Alain smirked at him.

"Let's not tell people that I was attacked by flying ice cream. I have a reputation now." Ash giggled.

"Shouldn't the Kalos Champion be able to dodge things like that?" Alain smiled. Ash's laugh was cute too.

"My job is to stand and give orders. Charizard probably could though." He looked over at his partner, blinking when he saw the nasty glare it was giving Ash's and Greninja. What was going on between those three? But his Charizard couldn't possibly be having a childish tiff, he raised it better than that.

"Oh, by the way, Clemont told me that his Clembot is up and running, even when the memory is gone. I know it's bugging him, so I wanna pay him a visit. Shall we go?" Alain nodded.

"Sure, let's get going then." Garchomp happily escorted them out, leaving the two Charizards and Greninja ready to sneak out of a glass window that they were using to get in and out. Pikachu looked at Hawlucha, who was quickly getting up to go with them. Now Talonflame and Noivern wanted to go too, curious and wanting in on the action. Pikachu groaned. There was too much risk bringing them along. Ash would be upset to see his Pokémon causing havoc. Two was already bad.

"Chu!" he shouted, pointing at the ground. While the other two protested his decision, Charizard and Greninja jumped up and slid out the window. Alain's followed right after. Hawlucha and Pikachu hurried to follow them.

* * *

Clemont looked like he didn't get any sleep in the past few days, but he was excited to see them at the door. He took an extra second longer to look at Alain in his orange jacket, but quickly shook it off. How rude, Alain could wear whatever he liked, even if it looked a little strange.

"I ran into a few snags," he admitted as he let them in, "but he's up and running again! I want to give him some space and get acquainted with the Pokémon again. In the meantime, how about I show you guys a new invention I made?"

Alain inwardly cringed. He was sure Clemont was brilliant, but Ash mentioned that his inventions had a knack of exploding. But he looked so excited and so did Ash. They agreed and Clemont gleefully took them to see his invention.

Outside, Greninja skillfully picked the lock of Clemont's door to the gym and went in first, holding the door so Charizard could go in. Seeing Alain's Charizard closing in on the door, it tried to shut it quickly, but the rival used Dragon Claw to grab the door and keep it open, using its tail to hit its opponent. Anticipating the move, Charizard reared back and threatened it with a Flamethrower to the face, but Greninja nudged it sharply to stop fighting and find their Trainer. The Charizards growled at each other, but Ash's obediently went with its friend.

"I heard from Professor Sycamore that he ran out of medicine and had to go to the Pokémon Center. But why go himself when he has something to do it for him?" Clemont led them to his testing area where a small metal box was waiting for them in a large room where the walls were computer screens detailing the schematics of several inventions. On the box was a logo of the Pokémon Center.

"The future is now thanks to science!" He smacked the box proudly with an open hand. "I thought we'd encounter a situation precisely like this one! This box can detect if Pokémon are in distress and can diagnose and treat that ailment as long as it's equipped! So I made sure it's supplied with potions and antidotes just to see if it'll work! I call this invention: the Medicine Box!"

Wow, that was a pretty great invention, but the name wasn't all that great. Ash thought it was great regardless, based on the sparkles in his eyes.

"Science is so amazing!" he cheered. Clemont nodded with pride, pushing back his glasses.

"When it senses that it's in low supply, it will even go to the Pokémon Center to replenish its stock. Now Professor Sycamore doesn't have to make that trip!" He laughed almost sinisterly. "Now, let's try it out! Chespin!"

The grass-type waddled into the room with a Poké Puff in hand, nibbling and acknowledging his Trainer. Clemont held his arms out.

"Chespin! Hit me with your Pin Missile!" The poor thing looked confused.

"Chespin?!" Alain's jaw dropped. Was he serious? Even Ash looked concerned.

"Hang on, I thought you said it works for Pokémon, not humans." Clemont shook his head.

"Yeah, but I figured distress is the same in humans as it is Pokémon! And besides, I wouldn't purposefully hurt a Pokémon to test out my own invention." Well, he got a point in integrity, but an actual hit? Chespin looked distraught at hitting its own Trainer, but Clemont smiled confidently.

"Don't worry, Chespin! I can take it!" Chespin shook fearfully, finally releasing a Pin Missile despite feeling the urge to aim it away from Clemont. Which it did, now unexpectedly aiming at Ash. Alain's heart raced.

"Ash!" He practically tackled him down to dodge the attack, both falling to the floor and crying out at the force he had to use to knock them down fast enough. Alain had no time to realize that he wrapped his arms snugly around Ash's body. The box quickly responded at their cries, sprouting two metal legs to hop down and assess their situation.

"You are in distress," it stated robotically. They both looked up curiously. Clemont look horrified that they were both hurt instead of him, but he had to trust his invention to help them.

The two Charizards and Greninja were surprised to sneak near the doorway and saw their Trainers in each other's arms. Charizard growled at Alain, but kept its eyes on the box in front of them. It beeped as it scanned them.

"Deploying: Potion." The box opened up and sprayed them full in the face with the medicine. They sputtered and coughed, not really feeling cured and sitting up to find themselves drenched in liquid. Clemont gasped.

"Why did it use the whole supply?!" he shouted, exasperated. The box began to smoke, erratically zooming about the room and freaking out over the insufficient number of medicine in its stock. With no way of knowing how to get to the Pokémon Center, it was getting distressed. Charizard was glad that Alain and Ash sat up separately, noticing that the box was nearing its foot. While Clemont kept the Trainers distracted by apologizing with Chespin, it kicked the smoking box at Alain, hoping it would explode soon.

A familiar orange blur swept into the room, a Dragon Tail whacking the box back to Charizard before it could blink. Greninja tried to yank its friend back, but it was too late.

The box exploded, leaving its parts everywhere in shambles and two Pokémon covered in soot. Alain's Charizard flew out of the room before the humans would notice, laughing maniacally at the sight of its rivals looking worse for wear. While Greninja was silently seething, Charizard wasn't the type to keep its cool. It tackled the other Charizard, who knew they would fight and instantly got into another wrestling match. Greninja growled, getting Cut ready to strike.

"LUCHA!"

"PIKAAACHU!" Pikachu, Iron Tail shining, dove between the Charizards and nearly struck them with his tail. They both jumped back to avoid it. Hawlucha swooped in and covered Greninja's face, causing it to sputter and lose focus. The Cut disappeared, Hawlucha satisfied and jumping off its face. All five Pokémon began to argue, Pikachu and Hawlucha annoyed by the trouble they were causing and the other three annoyed that they were being disturbed.

Though Alain's shoulder was sore from landing on it, he was more concerned for Ash. He was the unwitting target of the attack. Ash groaned, unwounded and more shocked if anything. He felt surprisingly warm earlier, but it didn't last long thanks to the Medicine Box spraying potions on them.

"Ash, are you alright?" asked Alain urgently, worried that he might have hurt Ash earlier. Ash nodded, smiling to confirm he was okay. Clemont was panicking.

"Are you both alright?! I'm so sorry about that!" He turned to Chespin, who looked worried that he hurt his friends. "Chespin, I'm so sorry I made you do that. Please don't feel guilty."

To help prove he was fine, Ash pet Chespin on the head. "I'm fine! But I'm more worried about the box."

Clemont gasped and looking around to see where the box exploded. But there wasn't a scrap in sight. There was a strange commotion happening outside the door, but it didn't sound like a robot.

"Hey, do you hear that?" he asked. The others were quiet to hear, the sounds of arguing becoming clear.

"It sounds like Pokémon."

The Pokémon immediately stopped arguing when they heard their Trainers mention their ruckus. Pikachu was on Hawlucha before he took off, fleeing through the open window they used to sneak in. The larger Pokémon were quick to escape through the entrance they used earlier. Clemont peered out of the room, forgetting the earlier noise when he saw his failed invention in pieces.

"Well, here's the box. But there's no Pokémon out here." Alain shrugged, wincing at the movement bothering his shoulder. It caught Ash's eye.

"Alain, did you get hurt?" His eyes widened, he didn't want to admit it.

"Ah, no, I'm fine." Ash gently laid a hand on his shoulder, giving him comfort. Before he could relax, Ash slowly applied pressure to where the bruise was. Alain's mouth formed an 'o' as he winced in pain. Clemont hurried to get a medicine kit while Ash frowned at Alain.

"You shouldn't lie if you're hurt. Here, can I see? Then we can start fixing you up." Alain made a face. It would look worse than it felt. He unzipped his jacket to down and shrugged it off, then unbuttoned the shirt just enough to check his shoulder. A fresh bruise was forming on his shoulder. It was currently faint, but it would become purple and black soon. Clemont dropped the scraps on a table and ran to find an ice pack with Chespin. Ash saddened.

"You didn't have to do that for me. You got hurt." Alain shook his head.

"It doesn't bother me much. If you're fine, then I am too." A different feeling grew in Ash's chest. It was warmer than how he felt when battling him. He couldn't explain it. Neither could he explain the blush on his cheeks.

"Alain…" He met his blue eyes, feeling a little out of place and shy. Clemont ran back in with ice and Ash quickly moved back so it didn't look strange.

"Here's your ice!" Alain gratefully took the pack and pressed it on his shoulder, the cold soothing the bruise. He didn't mind the pain at all. If Ash was safe, he could take a bruise any day. But seriously, ice cream to his clothes and now a bruise on his shoulder? Some outer force was working against him. Ash looked guilty.

"I need to pay you back for helping me. And because I think you've had enough bad luck today," he joked cheerily. _'Yeah, I think I have,'_ Alain thought bitterly, then smiled.

"You could buy me dinner," he suggested, wanting to smack himself the second the last word left his mouth. Too bold, Ash was going to freak out and avoid him. Even Clemont looked at him in alarm. But Ash, oh dense one, simply nodded.

"Sure!" He waited for Ash to look at Clemont so he could sigh in relief. Ash nodded at his friend.

"Clemont, wanna come with?" The boy was about to agree, then saw the look on Alain's face. He looked a little unfriendly…oh he was glaring at him. Clemont laughed nervously.

"How about another time? I should really go back to fixing the box so it runs properly." Ash shrugged.

"Alright then!" He turned to Alain, who quickly lost his glare to smile at him. "Is your shoulder okay now?"

"Yeah," he answered truthfully, taking the ice pack off. "It's really not that bad."

Ash laid a hand on his shoulder, the touch warming his entire body. "Don't strain yourself, please. If it hurts again today, let me know, Mr. Tough Guy."

Alain chuckled. "Of course."

Clemont took the ice pack back. "Have fun, you two!"

* * *

'Come on, you guys, can't we get along for their sake?' asked Pikachu to his glaring companions. After leaving the gym, they ran outside to a secluded, grassy area and argued out there.

'Nope,' said Charizard, glaring at the rival Charizard. Alain's huffed.

'You want to settle this with a battle instead of skulking in the shadows trying to butt into our humans' business?' Ash's Charizard showed off its teeth.

'I didn't think you could battle now that you don't have that piece of rock with you.' Oh, that's what they were down to? Insults? Fine. Alain's smirked.

'You didn't ask so I assumed you were scared.' Hawlucha was more than familiar with where this was going.

'Oh no…' he groaned, looking at Charizard. Its eyes sharpened fiercely.

'That's it!' Sensing a fight, Pikachu held back his friend by grasping its neck and Hawlucha did the same to the rival Charizard. Greninja stayed still the whole time. Pikachu sent a stern look its way.

'Greninja! Don't even think about it!' Ruffled, it sulked behind its tongue.

'I wasn't doing anything…' it mumbled. Pikachu and Hawlucha growled.

'LIAR!' they yelled.

"Bye, guys! Thanks for stopping by! And I'm really sorry that you got hurt, Alain." Their ears perked up and ran back to the gym, hiding in the foliage to stay out of sight. Alain shook his head.

"I'm fine, Clemont. You didn't have to give us money for dinner though." He gestured to the Pokédollars in Ash's hand. Clemont firmly stood his ground.

"Yes I did. It was my fault. It's no bother to me to give you money." He waved as they started to walk away. "Come back again! I promise nothing will explode!"

"Thanks, Clemont!" yelled Ash, waving his arm wildly in goodbye. Alain smiled at his energy, nodding goodbye to Clemont before they walked down the street.

Ash hummed as they walked down the street, wondering where they'd go for dinner.

"Hey, Alain, I've been dragging you everywhere. How about you choose where to go now?" Alain blinked.

"Oh, me?" His eyes wandered around. "I guess we could go to this café I know."

As Kalos Champion, Alain had perks like affording fancy restaurants, but he didn't fit in those places and neither did Ash. Ash looked like he liked the idea and let Alain lead the way. The sidewalks were bustling with people enjoying the evening. Feeling bolder, he reached a hand out to Ash. He smiled charmingly.

"We don't want to lose each other," he breathed softly. Ash didn't even hesitate to grab his hand. The touch was electrifying, never losing its sensation as Alain led him through the city.

* * *

Alain took him into a lively little place with low lighting. The host let them in and addressed Alain by his name, passing his congrats before giving them a table in a private area. After ordering and receiving their food, Ash let him in on the adventures he had in Kalos. He gushed about Professor Sycamore's summer camp, meeting Goodra when it was a Goomy and even the time where Pikachu starred in his own movie. How different their journeys were.

"Oh man, I wonder what's up next. I had such a great time here in Kalos. I hope the next region makes me just as excited." Alain's smile fell. The next region? When was he planning on going? Ash noticed his silence and glanced over worryingly.

"Alain?" He blinked.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking." He cleared his throat. "Uh, so your Charizard…"

They continued to talk. While Alain should've felt elated for being alone with Ash with nothing happening to him, his heart still felt heavy.

* * *

The Pokémon stood in the dark nearby the café. While the café itself seemed pretty romantic, neither of them were really dressed for the part. Charizard laughed mockingly.

'Heh, nice orange jacket.' Alain's Charizard snarled in discontent.

'You're the reason why he had to wear it,' it accused, flames dancing out of its mouth. Charizard barely passed a glance.

'He gave me a reason to do it. And you were too slow to stop me.' Slow? Alain's grit its teeth, both of its fists glowing bright green.

'Alright that's it! You and me, now!' Ash's roared in agreement.

'About time you asked!' Greninja noticed their bickering and had a bright blue water kunai in hand. Alain's roared at it.

'Hey, butt out! I've already beaten you before. Three times.' At the mention of past defeat, Greninja's kunai became a shuriken.

'Yeah, with a cheap rock. Now let's go!' Before they could leap towards each other, Hawlucha landed on his comrades with a Flying Press.

'Seriously, you three need to knock it off!' Pikachu sighed. Only a Thunderbolt would get through their thick skulls, but that would garner too much attention.

Charizard found the right moment to fire a Flamethrower at Alain's, who dodged and charged at it with a Thunder Punch. Hawlucha leapt to safety with his life while Greninja and Charizard jumped in for the fight. Greninja used Cut, but was intercepted by a Dragon Claw. Seeing Greninja struggle, Charizard swooped in with a Dragon Tail. Alain's was hit, stumbling back. Seeing red, it used Blast Burn, the ground emitting pillars of fire around Greninja and Charizard.

Greninja had to leap quickly enough before the ground burst from underneath it, but Charizard stood its ground and took the heat dead on. Pikachu and Hawlucha stood back, not wanting to jump into the fight since they were already using their moves.

'Ash and Alain are going to be so mad if they see this,' stated Pikachu plainly.

'I'd rather not be barbequed,' Hawlucha replied with a roll of his eyes, sidestepping to avoid to a Flamethrower. Ash's Charizard grabbed Alain's into a Seismic Toss, going into the air and circling to gain momentum. Staying above the ground, it flung Alain's down into the earth, shaking the ground.

* * *

The water glasses shook on the table before Alain and Ash realized they were shaking. They stood up, holding onto the table.

"What was that?" asked Ash in alarm. He wasn't the only one asking. Everyone in the café was looking around for answers. Someone ran in in a panic to find safety.

"There's two Charizards fighting outside!"

"Charizards?" They looked at each other questioningly before hurrying to pay so they could run outside.

* * *

Alain's Charizard was still conscious after the toss, gritting its teeth as the other soared in the air. Ash's looked down, mouth bright as it readied a Flamethrower. Sensing the danger, Alain's shot up and flew towards it at full-speed with a Dragon Claw, uppercutting the other. Ash's Charizard's head threw back, Flamethrower blazing into the sky. They roared at each other in rage before they were about to start another fight.

"Charizard, what are you doing?!" Alain's froze at the sound of its Trainer's voice. Alain looked pissed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Get down here now!"

Ash was just as mad at his. "Same goes for you too, Charizard! And Greninja! Get out of that tree right now!"

Greninja hesitated before it slowly hopped down. Curse their emotions being connected. Pikachu and Hawlucha got away right when they saw Alain and Ash leave the café, flying home as discreetly as possible. People were gathered around, watching the commotion until Ash turned to them with a smile.

"Sorry, folks! Show's over!" Alain ignored them as they left them alone with their Pokémon. Both Charizards had flown down as slowly as possible to delay their lecture, but they were already in trouble. He marched up to his Charizard, who was sheepishly looking down at the ground to avoid his eyes.

"Charizard, I raised you better than this. You know better than to battle a Pokémon without my approval. You two can get too serious." His Charizard grumbled a little in shame. Ash nodded.

"You too, Charizard! I didn't bring you out here to start a fight. If you wanted to battle Alain's Charizard, all you had to do was ask me. You two were fighting in public where people are out! Someone could've gotten hurt because of it!" Guilty, Charizard muttered an apology. Ash shook his head.

"Not to me, to Alain and his Charizard." At hearing that it had to apologize to the enemy, it snarled. Ash put his hands on his hips. "Charizard, apologize."

"And you too," added Alain sternly to his before it could smirk. "You're also to blame for this."

They growled at each other, reaching their hands out to shake, but it looked like a death grip. There were sparks being exchanged between them. Alain sighed.

"Christ, this is as good of an apology as they're going to give." Ash was satisfied, turning to lecture his Greninja next.

"Greninja, I saw you ready to take down Charizard when you saw a chance! You have to apologize too!"

"Ninja…" It glared at the rival Charizard, but reached out to shake its hand. Alain sighed.

"You three probably won't tell us why you're fighting, but it's ending. It's over," he said with finality. All three reluctantly nodded. Alain checked his belt before he realized he didn't have Charizard's ball with him.

"My luck isn't getting any better today, I swear. Charizard, I want you to fly home. And I don't want to hear anything about another fight, understand?" It promised and turned to fly back to the lab. Ash nodded.

"The same goes for you two. Any more fighting and you're staying in your Poké balls until we go home." The two grumbled before heading off. Charizard zoomed past Alain's, giving it a smirk before flying faster. Feeling challenged, Alain's sped up to race. Alain groaned.

"For Christ's sake…" Ash grinned cheekily.

"We said no fighting, but we never said they couldn't compete." His head was throbbing.

"I guess. Shall we walk off our headaches?" Ash laughed and nodded, following him to a gift shop.

It was a busy shop called Teddiursa's Trinkets. This was a good time to pick up a souvenir. And he felt jokingly bitter when he saw a bunch of little marbles that looked like Key Stones and Mega Stones. He could pretend he had one, but nah. He hummed, wondering what souvenir he could get that reminded him of Kalos. Really, a Key Stone or Mega Stone was perfect.

Maybe something about a Pokémon from the region? No, he had real Pokémon for that. He found a little old-fashioned music box that reminded him of the one Clemont made for his Pokémon during the festival in Coumarine City. He was fond of little antique things thanks to his upbringing in quiet old Pallet Town. He opened it and found the three starting Pokémon of Kalos as glass figurines, twirling to the soft music. This was great! He turned it to see the price, wincing when he saw the numbers. He had spent quite a bit for his plane ticket and couldn't afford the debt. He put it back on the shelf before settling for a keychain with the three evolutions of Froakie.

Alain noticed Ash look back at the music box sadly before going up to pay. It was a reflex to grab it, silently waiting for Ash to pay first before buying the box.

As they walked out of the shop, Ash dangled the keychain in front of him and smiled as if trying to convince himself that he wanted this more than the music box. Alain patiently waited until they reached a quiet park bathed in moonlight, sitting on a bench overlooking the people who were still enjoying themselves outside. Alain held out the wrapped music box.

"Ash, I got you something. I wanted to give you this to express my thanks." Ash giggled.

"Alain, you didn't have to!" He took the gift and unwrapped it, eyes widening as the paper gave way to reveal the music box. "You got me the music box. Alain, it was expensive!"

He shook his head. "I won't take it back. This is for you."

Ash smiled gratefully before opening it, the music drifting softly into his ears. Alain smiled at the happiness on Ash's face, disturbed only by the trill of Alain's phone. He mumbled an apology before seeing Professor Sycamore's name pop up on screen.

"Professor Sycamore. Alain here." Professor Sycamore chuckled.

"Hi, Alain, is Ash with you right now?" he asked. Alain glanced over at Ash, who was too busy admiring the music box.

"Yeah. Did you need to speak to him?"

"Not really, just tell him that his plane ticket came in!" Alain's heart dropped to his stomach. Not even Ash's smile gave him any sort of relief.

"Y-your ticket…it's here." He wasn't sure he spoke clearly. Ash didn't seem fazed.

"Yeah? Great!" He held his hand out for the phone, Alain dropping it without wanting to hear anymore. "Thanks, Professor Sycamore! …Yeah, for a couple more weeks! Thanks for keeping me!"

Leaving…Ash was leaving. He knew he was going to, but it didn't hurt as much when Ash first said it. Ash hung up and handed the phone back to a shell-shocked Alain. His hands were starting to freeze.

"You're going back to Pallet Town." His voice sounded empty. Ash caught on and his smile faltered.

"Yeah, I mentioned it during your welcome-home party, remember? But I've been stalling since the airport was down because of the attack on the city. Now that everything's up and running again, I'm set to head back in three weeks." Three weeks…

"And then you won't come back." Alain's eyes were directed to the ground. The music box continued to play, but he couldn't find it in himself to be in a better mood. Ash reached out to him, but it didn't seem like he wanted to be touched.

"Alain, are you okay?" Alain shook his head.

"No, I'm not," he answered truthfully. Unsure what was wrong, Ash set the box aside to turn to him properly.

"Hey, talk to me about it. You did for me. I can return the favor." Too absorbed with the thought of never seeing Ash again, he felt bitter.

"Listening to someone else's problems is easier than talking about your own…" Ash smiled sympathetically.

"But like you said, you'll feel better when you get it off your chest." Alain sighed, the headache he was having earlier getting worse.

"This problem's not easily solved by talking about it though. But…I-I guess…" He took a deep breath, deciding to say screw it to sounding embarrassing. "I don't want to say good bye to you."

Ash was more than familiar with this feeling. "Yeah, I know it's hard, but we'll see each other again one day. And we can always call each other on the PC."

Alain clenched his fist. "It's not the same thing."

It wasn't, but it was honestly the next best thing. "Yeah, but I've always kept into contact with my friends through it. I've always had friends with me when I traveled and I never once forgot them. We all went our separate ways, but we can still be there for each other."

"But friends can do that." Alain wasn't controlling his mouth. He wasn't scared of holding back his feelings anymore. Ash was going home regardless. Ash slowly shut the music box, placing it aside so he could think clearly.

"Alain, aren't we friends?" Ash sounded so sad and that wasn't Alain's intent at all.

"We are. It's just…" he trailed off, trying to harden his resolve. Once he felt more confident, he took another breath. "I don't feel that sort of way for you. I care more about you than I would a friend."

Ash's heart skipped a beat. This was different when Serena had alluded that she liked him. "Are-are you saying…?"

"I like you," Alain admitted truthfully. "And I don't expect you to stay here in Kalos with me because I don't want to hold you back from achieving your dream. I'm going to be traveling again for Professor Sycamore, but our paths will be different. I'll be holding you back."

"Alain, I-I-" Ash sounded surprised. Alain didn't blame him, but he didn't like where this was heading.

"Y-you don't have to answer me. I don't…I don't want to hear you reject me. I understand. But I wanted to tell you that I like you. I knew that the reason why I felt so excited wasn't just because we battled. This feeling stays with me when you're around. When I think about you, it comes up again even when I don't think about the battle we'll have. I'm sorry I said this to you when you're still here for another three weeks, but I wanted to tell you my feelings. And if you say no to me, I-I can't bear it right now. I'll just go." He was getting up, nodding to Ash before turning to leave.

"Wait!" Ash suddenly flung his arms around his waist, falling off the bench. He realized how awkward it looked and sheepishly smiled. "Sorry, but you were moving so fast that I didn't have time to think."

Alain sighed, unable to look him in the eye. "Ash, please. I can't handle hearing you reject me right now. I thought I could, but I was wrong."

Ash bit his bottom lip. Alain had been truthful to him about his feelings. Ash should be glad that it seemed that their feelings matched. "But I-I'm…I'm not rejecting you. I thought about my feelings last night after we talked. And I feel the same way when I think about you. At first I thought it was looking forward to our next battle, but I got excited just thinking about spending time together."

Their eyes met, a small smile on the younger one's face. "I like you too, Alain."

Relief fell like a tidal wave, Alain hugging Ash to his chest as they crumbled to the ground in a mushy mess. His arms shook as he held him tighter.

"I…I know you're leaving. It's harder to bear because I have these feelings for you. I don't know what to ask from this." Ash smiled into his chest.

"I-I dunno. We'd have to work something out long distance. I want this to last." Alain's mood brightened.

"So you want to be mine?" The way he said it set Ash's heart aflame. He nodded firmly.

"I do." He barely felt Alain move until a set of warm lips pressed against his. Ash slowly leaned in, warmth spreading through in a tingling sensation.

They walked back holding hands, knowing that they would have to remain separated for a time in the future.

* * *

"Hang on, so you told him you liked him yet you're going to let him go?!" shouted Mairin in his room that night. Alain rubbed his face tiredly.

"It's not easy for me either. I don't want him to leave. But he's training to be a Pokémon Master and I'm going to be researching the stones. He needs to continue and so do I. I should be happy that we want this, but our only solution for now is to try long-distance." She sighed grumpily and plopped on the floor. A bright idea popped into her mind.

"I say you show off how much you want him here by stopping his plane right before it takes off! It's a huge gesture of love!" Her eyes were sparkling at the thought. "I can see it now, Charizard stopping the plane with you on its back. Then Ash comes barreling out of the plane and kisses you-"

"Or more realistically, me going to jail for disturbing the peace and attempted kidnapping of a minor since Ash isn't eighteen yet. Then Ash and I will not have any time together. Great talk, Mairin. Good night." She pouted as he shooed her out of the room.

"Don't diss romance, you jerk!" He replied by shutting the door, leaning on the wood. He was happy Ash returned his feelings, but it felt bittersweet just as well.

* * *

The next few days were pretty relaxing. Ash and Alain spent time together and with their friends, sneaking kisses from one another every so often. Their Charizards were not allowed to battle one another because no one trusted them to take it easy. Ash went to hang out with his friends for a day while Alain stayed back to care for the Pokémon. Professor Sycamore approached Alain one day with a paper, grinning at him.

"Alain! There you are. Are you aware of your benefits now that you're a champion?" he asked, waving the paper at him. Alain shook his head, turning to pet an Azurill fondly. Professor Sycamore chuckled, looking at the paper to read from it.

"Well, you receive quite a salary for your victory for quite some time. And you have access to hotels and such wherever you choose to travel. Along with a private jet." Alain's thoughts came to a screeching halt.

"A private jet?" he parroted. Sycamore laughed.

"Yes! A jet! Quite a budget, don't you think? Obviously you have to pay for food and other things, but travels and lodgings are all covered." So, he could…

Feeling way better than he had before, Alain kept a smile on his face for the rest of the days Ash had in Kalos.

* * *

It was the day they would say goodbye. Alain and Ash hugged for quite a while at the airport, not caring that their friends were giggling around them.

"I'm gonna miss you, Alain," Ash murmured softly. Alain kissed his head.

"I am too. But we won't be separated for long." Ash looked up and smiled.

"Yeah! PC's and phone calls!" Alain chuckled.

"That too." Their Charizards were glaring at each other again, but all the Pokémon were working together to keep them away from one another except for Greninja.

* * *

Coming home was a welcome relief and a bittersweet return. Ash greeted his mother happily and showed her the music box Alain bought him. She instantly knew that there was a fondness in Ash's eyes that he wasn't telling her. Oh, her baby was in love! She giggled to herself as she opened the little box to hear its melody again.

He spent the next few days having a reunion with his Pokémon and talking with Tracy and Professor Oak about his adventures in Kalos. But during one sunny afternoon, he felt something was…just different. There was really no other way to explain it.

He was enjoying Bayleef's affectionate snuggles when a fierce roar pierced the peaceful atmosphere. Bayleef quickly stood in front of her Trainer to protect him as an orange blur tore through the air and shot passed them. Charizard, who was playing with Bulbasaur, Greninja and Pikachu, immediately sensed a threat and turned. It was suddenly tackled by another Charizard that oozed cockiness. Its eyes shone with rage at that smirk.

'You!' it roared. They got into a wrestling match that had all the Pokémon running to split them up.

Ash felt dizzy, sitting up and rubbing his head. "What was that?" he asked as Bayleef nuzzled him.

"Charizard! Didn't I tell you-ugh, you know what? Forget it, I'm tired," a new voice groaned. Ash brightened. That voice was so familiar. He whirled around in that person's direction.

"Alain!" The Kalos Champion was just over the fence of the ranch, smiling at Ash. Ash scrambled to get up and ordered Bayleef to help the Pokémon stop the Charizard fight. Alain hopped the fence and held his arms out for Ash to hug him. They were in each other's embrace, kissing once they pulled away and laying their foreheads against each other's.

"How are you here?" Ash asked breathlessly. Alain smirked.

"Champion perks." They laughed and held the other closely. This was their perfect solution. Even with their warring Charizards wreaking havoc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All done! Gosh, I'm really tempted to write smut for these two. AGED UP OF COURSE PLEASE. I ain't a sinner.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanna do another chapter, but it’s gonna be about shenanigans between Ash’s Greninja and Charizard versus Alain’s while he tries to get his feelings out to Ash. No more angst here!


End file.
